SepTO: Music for the Mind

SepTO: Music for the Mind

“I’ve always been the conflicted rapper … every six months I’m quitting, you know what I mean? Before I dropped my first album I was quitting.”

From his words during his recent appearance on Urbanology’s podcast “The Curb”, Toronto-based emcee SepTO seems to have always walked the fine line putting down the mic for good and pushing forward with new material.

Fortunately for Sep, and hip-hop heads, life has a funny way of inspiring and planting seeds of thought that eventually grow into something bigger.

Enter: God Mind.

Don’t let the album title or the cover art’s crucifix fool you though. This isn’t an album preaching about religion, blasphemy or trying to convert Atheists and Agnostics to see the light.

If anything, God Mind balances carefully along all these concepts, questioning some or reinforcing others, but ultimately providing a deeper look into the mind of SepTO (pun intended).

The album opens up with “Chopin & Bohm”, an instrumental that leads into a sample of late scientist David Bohm talking about consciousness. “The question whether you wanna call it God, that depends on what you mean by the word,” concludes Bohm.

But before you have a chance to ponder that thought, “A Spirit You Need To Deal With” seeps through the speakers.

SepTO’s flow and delivery dance all over the beat and at first listen his cadence steals the show.

SepTO’s flow and delivery dance all over the beat and at first listen his cadence steals the show, before you have a chance to appreciate what he’s saying – for added experience, lyrics for some of the songs are available on www.septo.ca.

On “NevR Again” SepTO slows his delivery down a couple notches so every word is clear and deliberate. Each verse tells a different story.

The first verse is about a corrupt pastor, using his profession for personal gains, the second a self-reflecting verse on SepTO’s observation of the world and deciding to make a change within himself and the third, painting the picture of a Black male dealing with racism and being senselessly shot by the police.

To emphasize his point on the third verse, audio of former South Carolina state trooper Sean Groubert shooting unarmed Levar Jones during a seatbelt violation stop is added partway through.

As far as production goes on God Mind, Khan Soulo and Lancecape handle it all – minus “Chopin & Bohm” which SepTO produced himself.

As to be expected SepTO continues to grow and mature as an artist, as he continues to learn and progress in his daily life. God Mind is a representative of that growth.

The horns on “Nevr Again” create a perfect sound bed for the song’s lyrical content and “Eye To Eye” is that boom bap, bob your head beat where all you wanna do is hear the emcee get busy over the production. SepTO and T Gramz don’t disappoint.

Additional features include Black Cat, Xp and J Vellore. Appearing on two cuts “Saved My Life,” a song dedicated to SepTO’s wife, and the closing track on the album “I Don’t Wanna Die”, J Vellore acts as an integral part of the album.

Just as the album started off, it closes out on “I Don’t Wanna Die” with a piano solo followed by an electric guitar. You can almost see the credits rolling, from your imaginary movie theatre seat.

As to be expected SepTO continues to grow and mature as an artist, as he continues to learn and progress in his daily life. God Mind is a representative of that growth.

Executive produced and mixed by SepTO himself, his hand was involved in more than just penning the verses.

Concepts, ideologies, religion, metaphors, consciousness and God are all wrapped up in one on this project. Hopefully SepTO’s inspirations bring him back to the booth again, but if not, God Mind is an unforgettable way to say goodbye to the game.

Be sure to check out the “The Curb” at to hear SepTO himself talk about God Mind, religion and quitting rap.